Race 2 of the Monaco E-Prix began and under the sun, the lights were out. A race full of chaos changed the championship standings for both Drivers and Constructors.
The Opening Lap
Dan Ticktum’s push off the starting line placed him in a great position at the start of the race and allowed him to miss the chaos behind him. After contact with Edoardo Mortara, Antonio Felix da Costa almost lost his chance of a podium position as he dropped down to P16. Mortara earned the lead and opened it up but shortly earned a penalty.
His lead proved to be short lived as he struggled with over-consuming energy in Lap 4, a clear indication of Monaco being a race on how to manage your power.
Attack Mode is the perfect answer for a driver who is in need of an energy boost. The strategic call from Porsche saw Nico Müller make several overtakes in one lap, proving difficult for other drivers to defend against. Eventually, he took the lead, a reward for the decision made.
A Race of Collisions
The unique roads of Monaco force drivers to be cautious about their overtakes. Penalties were given which changed the pace of the race. A yellow flag was brought out for Norman Nato, as an incident between him and Taylor Barnard ended in damage. Nato had to retire, which was a disappointing result for the Frenchmen after struggling this season to be consistent with points. Barnard earned himself a 10-second penalty, one that he deems ”harsh.”
A second penalty was awarded to Maximilian Günther for an incident caused with Sebastian Buemi. Taking the racing line into the hairpin, neither driver allowed enough space, and the two collided.
After Buemi’s incident with Gunther, race control issued a full course yellow as a collision between Buemi and Josep Maria (Pepe) Marti occurred. Marti’s race ended there, after a podium finish the day before. Crucial points needed for CUPRA KIRO’s campaign in the championship standings were lost out.
The race shortly resumed until Barnard triggered another full course yellow. Barnard’s initiative to go for an overtake played to his disadvantage, as he missed the brakes and slid into the wall. Despite the mistake, the session went green, allowing him to carry on with his race.
Smart Decision by Evans
After a successful overtake by Mitch Evans on Müller under attack mode, Evans took the lead and stayed strong for a few laps. Lap 16 saw him struggle with energy, and he encouraged the team to drop back to preserve energy. The decision was a true testament to how energy management can control a race. The team asked him to hold position, which resulted in him being out of contention for a podium finish.
A Harsh End for the Pole Sitter
Despite starting from pole position, Ticktum ended his race in P14. It was a disappointing result for the CUPRA KIRO driver, as he received a five-second penalty for speeding during a full course yellow. This shattered his chances for a podium finish, after an excellent drive.
Rowland Takes the Win
After a race of chaos, Oliver Rowland took the lead and kept it until the finish line. He held a 0.711 lead ahead of Felipe Drugovich, who takes his first podium in his Formula E career. Da Costa took P3, a promising push forward for Jaguar TCS Racing.
